The entire disclosure of both Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 10-122349 filed on May 1, 1998 and Hei 10-169912 filed on Jun. 17, 1998 including specification, claims, drawings, and summary is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a storing/reproduction system of compressed image data provided by a compressed image data supply apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A system as shown in FIG. 4 is known as a system for storing image data provided by a digital video (hereinafter referred to as DV) camera to a computer.
In the system, DV data outputted by the DV camera 38 are provided to a peripheral component interconnect (hereinafter referred to as PCI) bridge 66b through an IEEE1394 interface 66a. The DV data thus provided are stored temporarily in a memory 27 under the control of the PCI bridge 66b. The DV data stored in the memory 27 are decoded (decompressed) and transferred to a graphic card 34 under the control of a CPU 23. The graphic card 34 outputs analog RGB signals to a cathode ray tube (hereinafter referred to as CRT) 32 in accordance with the decoded data. In this way, images are displayed on the CRT 32 in accordance with the DV data thus outputted. At that time, the DV data are stored in a hard disk 26 while temporarily buffering the DV data in the memory 27 in accordance with a retrieval initiation command in parallel with the data transfer to the graphic card 34 under the control of the CPU 23. The DV data provided by the DV camera 38 can be stored while displaying them on the CRT 32 in video overlay manner.
The system described above, however, has the following problems to be solved. In order to display the DV data on the CRT 32 in the video overlay manner, decoding of the DV data needs to be carried out under the real-time basis. Not all the frames can be processed with the CPU 23 when it has lower processing capabilities than it should have. Consequently, a part of the frames might be missed and/or other trouble(s) may arise as a result of the low processing capabilities.
A dedicated hardware for decoding the DV data such as a DV compressor/decompressor (hereinafter referred to as DV CODEC) is needed in order to resolve the problems described above.
The problems arise not only for storing DV data, but also arise for reproducing the DV data stored in the hard disk 26 when the DV data are read out therefrom.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a data storing system capable of displaying image data in video overlay manner during the data storing without causing lack of frame(s) and/or other trouble(s) even when a computer having a lower processing capabilities with a simple structure is used for the system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data reproduction system capable of reproducing images without lack of frame(s) even when a computer having a lower processing capabilities with a simple structure is used for the system.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a board or a method used for these systems.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a data storing/reproduction system capable of switching to one of a storing mode and a reproduction mode, compressed image data being stored while displaying images on a display screen in the storing mode, and the stored compressed data being reproduced in the reproduction mode, the system comprises:
A) a compressed image data apparatus capable of switching to one of a first operation mode and to a second operation mode, the apparatus performing the following steps in each of the operating modes;
a1) in the first operating mode, the apparatus outputting the compressed image data being outputted while outputting analog video signals corresponding to the compressed image data provided therefrom in the first operating mode, the analog video signals being converted from uncompressed digital signals, and the uncompressed digital signals being decompressed from the compressed image data,
a2) in the second operation mode, the apparatus being capable of being inputted compressed image data therein from outside and outputting analog video signals converted from uncompressed digital image data which is decompressed from the inputted compressed image data provided therefrom, and
B) a computer system including;
b1) means for storing compressed image data therein when the compressed image data are provided thereto,
b2) means for displaying image data provided thereto,
b3) means for converting analog video signals into digital data, the converting means being connected to the apparatus, and
b4) control means connected to the apparatus, the control means carrying out the following steps;
b41) providing compressed image data received from the apparatus to the storing means while providing digital data converted by the converting means to the display means, the apparatus being switched to the first operation mode, and
b42) providing compressed image data stored in the storing means to the apparatus, the apparatus being switched to the second operation mode, and providing digital data to the display means when analog video signals decompressed by the apparatus are outputted therefrom, the digital data being converted by the converting means from the decompressed analog video signals.
Also, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a data storing system capable of storing compressed image data while displaying images on a display screen in accordance with the compressed image data, the system comprises:
A) a compressed image data apparatus outputting compressed image data while outputting analog video signals corresponding to the compressed image data therefrom, and
B) a computer system including;
b1) means for storing compressed image data therein when the compressed image data are provided thereto,
b2) means for displaying image data in accordance with the digital data provided thereto,
b3) means for converting analog video signals provided by the apparatus into digital data, and
b4) control means connected to the apparatus and the converting means, the control means carrying out the following step;
b41) providing digital data converted by the converting means to the display means while providing compressed image data outputted by the apparatus to the storing means.
Further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a data storing system capable of storing compressed image data while displaying images on a monitor in accordance with the compressed image data, the system comprises:
A) a compressed image data apparatus, outputting analog video signals when compressed image data are outputted therefrom, the analog video signals corresponding to the compressed image data,
B) a computer including;
b1) a memory, storing compressed image data provided thereto temporarily,
b2) a central processing unit, performing control of storing the compressed image data into a hard disk, the compressed image data being stored in the memory,
b3) a monitor for the computer, displaying image data provided thereto, and
b4) a graphic board, controlling display of the monitor, and
C) an overlay display/storing board including;
c1) a video decoder, converting analog video signals into digital data, the analog video signals being provided by the apparatus,
c2) a compressed image data interface, receiving compressed image data provided by the apparatus, the compressed image data interface being connected to the apparatus,
c3) a display/storing controller, providing digital data outputted by the video decoder to the graphic board part while storing compressed image data into the memory through the interface, the display/storing controller being connected to the video decoder and the compressed image data interface.
Still further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an overlay display/memory board comprises:
a compressed image data interface connected to a compressed image data apparatus, the interface receiving compressed image data provided by the apparatus,
a video decoder converting analog video signals into digital data, the analog video signals being outputted by the apparatus, the analog video signals corresponding to the compressed image data, and
a display/storing controller connected to the video decoder, the interface and a graphic board, the controller providing digital data outputted by the video decoder to the graphic board through a bus line while storing compressed image data to a memory of the computer through the interface via the bus line.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an overlay display/memory board capable of storing compressed image data from a compressed image data apparatus while displaying images on a display screen of a computer system in accordance with the compressed image data, and capable of reproducing the stored data, the board being connected to the apparatus capable of switching to one of a first operation mode and to a second operation mode, the apparatus performing the following steps in each of the operating modes;
a1) in the first operation mode, the apparatus outputting the compressed image data while outputting analog video signals corresponding to the compressed image data,
a2) in the second operation mode, the apparatus outputting analog video signals, the signals corresponding to compressed image data inputted from outside,
the board comprises:
a video decoder for converting analog video signals into digital data, the analog video signals being provided by the apparatus,
a compressed image data interface for receiving and transmitting the compressed image data between the apparatus, the interface being connected to the apparatus, and
a display/storing controller connected to the apparatus, the controller carrying out the following steps;
b1) providing digital data converted by the video decoder to a graphic board which controls display of a monitor of the computer system through a bus line while storing compressed image data received through the interface to a memory of the computer system in an overlay display/memory mode, and
b2) outputting the digital data provided by the video decoder to the graphic board through the bus line while providing compressed image data stored in a hard disk of the computer system to the apparatus through the interface in a playback/display mode.
Also, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a data storing/reproduction method for storing/reproducing compressed image data provided by a compressed image data apparatus, the apparatus capable of switching to one of a first operating mode and a second operating mode, the apparatus performing the following steps in each of the operating modes;
a1) in the first operating mode, the apparatus outputting compressed image data while outputting analog video signals converted from uncompressed digital image data which is decompressed from the compressed image data,
a2) in the second operating mode, the apparatus outputting analog video signals converted from uncompressed digital image data which is decompressed from the inputted compressed image data from outside,
the method comprises the steps of:
storing the compressed image data provided by the apparatus in a data storing medium while displaying images in accordance with the analog video signals provided by the apparatus during a data storing mode when the apparatus is in the first mode, and
providing the compressed image data stored in the data storing medium to the apparatus, and displaying images on a display screen in accordance with the analog video signals provided by the apparatus during a data reproduction mode when the apparatus is in the second mode.
Further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a data storing method for storing compressed image data provided by a compressed image data apparatus in a data storing medium a computer system while displaying images in accordance with the compressed image data on a display screen of the computer system, the method comprises the steps of:
connecting the apparatus having a compressed image data terminal and an analog video signal terminal with the computer system, the apparatus outputting compressed image data through the data terminal, and outputting analog video signals through the signal terminal, the analog signals being converted from uncompressed digital image data which is decompressed from the compressed image data outputted through the data terminal, and
storing the compressed image data provided by the apparatus in the storing medium of the computer system without carrying out decompression thereof while displaying images on the display screen of the computer system in accordance with the analog video signals provided by the apparatus.
Still further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a data reproduction method for displaying images in accordance with compressed image data stored in a data storing medium of a computer system on a display screen thereof, the method comprises the steps of:
connecting a compressed image data apparatus with the computer system, the apparatus carrying out decompression of compressed image data and converting the decompressed image data into analog signals,
providing the compressed image data stored in the data storing medium to the apparatus, and
displaying images on the display screen in accordance with the analog signals received from the apparatus, the analog signals being decompressed by the apparatus.